Radiator vent valve



Aug. 23, 1938.

E. E. DECKER RADIATOR VENT VALVE Filed March l, 1937 2 x YENTOR TORNEY tTo Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES alzarsi PATENT orties.

2,128,081 RADIATOR VENT VvAI'QvE Edward E. Decker, Weymouth, Mass. Application March 1, 1937, Serial No. 128,367

3 Claims.

invention relates to a valve for venting air from steam heated radiators commonly used in building heating systems and for preventing influx of air into the system upon fall of the steam pressure. I

One. object of the invention is to provide a valve of Athis character which shall embody a novel and improved construction, combination and arrangement of a casing, an air vent passage, chamber or duct enclosed within the casing and a thermally controlled valve, whereby the air shall be vented from the bottom of the valve casing instead of from the top or side as is most common, and so that thermostatic control of the valve can be effected simply, reliably and inexpensively and the valve casing shall have a unique esthetic appearance.

Another objecty is to provide such a radiator vent valve which shall include novel and improved thermally operated means for closing the vent upon inux of steam into the casing whereby the valve shall be quickly and accurately operated and firmly held in closed position while steam is present in the valve casing.

A further object is to provide in such a valve a novel and improved construction, combination and arrangement of an air vent passage and a valve for closing the passage upon a fall in steam pressure in the system so as to prevent influx of air into the system through the valve.

Another object is to provide in such a valve a novel and improved combination and arrangement of flood check valve and float for preventing water from entering the valve from the. boiler.

Other objects, results and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawing in which.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a radiator vent valve embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse. vertical sectional view through the valve showing it attached to a radiator.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Specifically describing the invention, the valve comprises a casing including a cup-shaped base section I preferably stamped from sheet* metal and an inverted cup-shaped body section 2 having its rim soldered within the rim of the base section I as at 3. The casing is preferably approximately oblong rectangular in plan view and side elevation, anda nipple 4 is securedto and projects laterally from the base section I for connection to a radiator A. Centrally of the bottom wall of the base section I `is an' opening formed by an integral inf turned annular flange 5 in which is tted'as by a press t, a tube whichprojects` centrally upwardly in the casing and terminates short of the top thereof. This tube forms a vent passage for air from the radiator and valve casing. 11() Secured on the upper end of the. .tube 6 is a bracket 'i preferably bimetallic so as to be responsive to changes in temperature in the valve casing. This lbracket includes the collar 8 which. surrounds and is secured to the tube 6: and two '115 diametrically opposite upwardly inclined arms 9, the arms being so formed that upon increase and decrease in temperature within the valve casing the arms are caused to ex toward and from each other, respectively. The extremities ofthe arms 20 9 are returned tol form ears I0. The arms 9 also have longitudinal slots or openings II, and a bimetallic thermostatic strip I2 lies in said slots and yhas its ends seated beneath the ears 10. The

central portion of the strip I2 carries a valvehea-,d 25 I3 adapted to seat upon the end of the tube Ii and close. the passage therethrough. The strip I2 is bowed between its ends toward its center and toward the seat at the end of the tube 6, and normally holds the valve head I3 unseated as shown 30 I in Figure 1 when the strip is cool. In operation of the valve so far described, when the valve is cold, as before steam enters the radiator to which the valve is attached, the valve head I3 is unseated to permit air to pass from 35 the radiator through the nipple 4 into the casing, and from the interior of the casing through the vent tube 6 outwardly to the atmosphere. As steam enters the valve casing, the thermostatic strip I2 expands or elongates, and its ends being 40 held against movement in the ears I0, the strip ileXes toward the end of the tube 6 so as to seat the. valve head I3. Simultaneously the thermostatic arms 9 fleX upwardly toward each other so as to further influence the valve head I3 against 45 its seat. The valve head is thereby quickly and firmly seated and will be held on its seat as long as steam is in the valve casing so as to prevent escape of steam from the radiator.

Upon a fall of the pressure of the steam in the 50 radiator which causes the temperature in the valve casing to drop, the thermostatic strip I2 and the arms 9 operate to unseat the valve head I3. To prevent an infiux of air through the valve into the radiator as the valve head I3 is unseated, 55

I provide a ball check I4 at the lower end of the tube 6 to cooperate with the valve seat I5, the ball being normally supported by sheared lugs I6. As the pressure in the valve casing falls below atmospheric pressure, the partial vacuum draws the ball I4 to its seat to prevent entry of air through the tube 6.

To provide against ooding of the valve by flow of Water from the boiler into the radiator, the nipple 4 has a ball check I'I cooperating with a seat I8 and held in position by sheared lugs I9. This ball I'l is normally held unseated against the steam pressure by engagement with the side of a float 20 which is slidable upon the tube 6. Upon initial entry of water through the nipple 4 into the valve. casing, the float is elevated away from the ball I'l whereupon the ball will engage the seat I8 to stop further now of water into the casing.

To restrict flow of water into the upper part of the casing and into the vent tube 6 under abnormal conditions, I provide a baille plate 22 disposed transversely of the casing below the upper end of the tube 6 and having small openings 23 to permit passage of air and steam past the plate.

It will be observed that my invention provides a highly sensitive quick-operating thermostatic mechanism for seating the valve head I3. The use of the vent tube 6 which provides a vent passage, chamber or duct enclosed within the valve casing admits of the utilization of my highly effective thermostatic valve operating mechanism and avoids the necessity for unsightly projections on the valve casing, so that the casing may have a pleasing and esthetic appearance.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction of the valve without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A radiator vent valve comprising a casing h aving an inlet adjacent its bottom to be connected to a. radiator, a tube secured at one end on and opening through the bottom of said casing and with its other end disposed within the casing adjacent the top thereof, a bracket mounted on said tube with an arm projecting laterally from each of opposite sides thereof, a valve head to seat on the end of the tube for controlling communication between the interior of said casing and the passage through said tube, a bimetallic thermostatic strip extending transversely of said upper end of the tube and having its ends fixed in the respective arms of said bracket, said valve head being mounted on said strip intermediate the ends of the latter and seated on and unseated from the end of the tube upon exure of said strip under influence of temperature changes in said casing.

2. A radiator vent valve comprising a casing having an inlet to be connected to a radiator, there being a Vent passage leading from the interior of said casing to the atmosphere and having a valve seat, a pair of bimetallic thermostatic arms each mounted at one end and inclined upwardly from one of opposite sides of said valve seat so as to swing toward and from the other upon increase and decrease in tem'- perature respectively in said casing, a bimetallic thermostatic strip extending transversely of said seat and having each end ixed on one of said arms, and a valve head carried by said strip intermediate its ends to cooperate with said valve seat, whereby upon increase and decrease in temperature in said casing said strip is flexed between its ends to move said valve head toward and from said seat respectively.

3. A radiator vent valve including a casing having an inlet adjacent its bottom to be connected to a radiator, a float in said casing normally disposed in juxtaposition to said inlet, and a ood check valve and seat in said inlet, said valve normally contacting with said float and being thereby normally held unseated whereby said valve will be released for seating to close said inlet upon rising of said float as water enters the casing EDWARD E. DECKER. 

